chicago



' y 2- H. H. MCKEEIIETAL 1,868,538

CONVEYER Filed July 50. 1931 Patented July 26, 19 2 mivm UNITED STATES,

"PATEN'P- OFFICE max H. mm Am) mcxoLAs nnzrnnzro, or cnIcAGo, ILLINOIS, Assrenons, n2

iunsms Assremrnnrs, T mnps'rnrAr. PATENTS conronArIoN, or cruoAemILLL vors, A oonronArron or DELAWARE comm Application filed July 80,

the bacon by'the employees, thus eliminating to a large degree any possibility of mold forming thereon. Such pieces or cuts of meat are handled with suitable instruments or devices, and'placed upon a piece of wrapping material preliminary to the weighing of the same and the further step of placing of them in suitable, cartons or containers. Heretofore, pieces or groups of slices moving on a conveyer, as for example, have beenrather hard to handle, inasmuch as it has been difiicult to grasp the slices and to place the same on a piece of wrapping material to be furthertmoved about thereon and in a suitable positionto facilitate the further rapid packagingof the same.

It is therefore an objectof'the present invention to rovide a novel conveyer means so constructed that a .piece of wrapping material m'ay be placed over the slices, or groups thereof, and folded around the ends thereof so that the same may be easily handled withthe wrapper during the movement thereof over the conveyer, as likewise during the successivesteps in the packagin of these groups. In the embodiment selected to illustrate the invention, the conveyer means is provided with a conve er table having marginal portions below tl ie central portion thereof upon which conveyer elements are provided for movement of the slices thereover and in overhanging relation thereto and the marginal I portions of the table therebelow. A piece of wrapping material ma be placed on the slices and folded aroun the ends thereof because of the disposition of the marginal portions of the table, after which the slices, or groups thereof, may be gripped and turned 1931. Serial no. 553,983.

in a position ready for packaging, such operations being all effected during movement of the slices over the conveyer means. Other objects, capabilities, advantages and features are comprehended by the invention,

as will. later appear and as areinherently possessed thereby.

Referring to the drawing; The figure is a fragmentary view in perspective of a conveyer unit embodying thepresent invention.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, an embodiment selected to illustrate the present invention is disclosed as' comprisin a conveyer table 2 supported in any suita 1e manner as by means of the legs 4 and having a plurality of conveyer elements 6 movable" thereover for conveying material, such as groups of slices of bacon 8, over the surface thereof.

In the packing and wrapping of certain meats, such as slices of bacon, certain of the packing houses prohibit the handling of the slices other than by instrumentsor with wrapping paper secured thereto, becauseof the danger of starting mold which is detri mental to the appearance of the meat. f

The present invention is concerned moreparticularly with the conveying of slices of bacon from a slicing machine to a point where the operators wrap these slices-and prepare the same for sale. The table 2 is formed witha substantially U-shaped central portion 10 having. its uppersurface for the movement of the conveying elements 6 thereover, and being provided with marginal flanged portions 12 below the surface of the central portion The conveyer elements pass .over sprock- 10. ets 11 mounted upon a transverse shaft 13 journaled in bearing blocks 15. These hearing blocks are mounted upon the ends of the threaded shafts 17 which are adjustably mounted in the blocks 19 fitting between the.

lugs 21 and downwardly extending flanges 23 of marginal portions 12, these sprockets be ing adjacent an opening 25 in the central portion 10.

During the, movement of the groups of slices of bacon 8 over the table 2, the ends thereof may overlap or overhang the marginal portions 12 of thetable,whereby a pieceof wrapping material," such as cellophane,

glassine, waxed paper, or thelike 14, maybe 7 positioned thereon and folded around the 5 overhanging ends of'the slices, after which the slices may be turned by the operators positioned near thisconveyer, so that the slices rest upon the wrapping ,material.

. When this .has been done, the remaining operations necessary to" properl wrap the slices of bacon may be easily an effectively accom lished without necessitating the contact o the operators hands or other parts of the body with the slices of bacon.

15 While we have herein described and upon I said for-passage said elements the drawing shown an illustrated embodi-yf ment of the invention, it is to be understood thatthe invention is not limited thereto but 4 may comprehend other constructions, ar-

zo rangements' of parts, details and features without departin from thespirit thereof. 3 il-Iaving thus isclosed-the invention we c aun:

1. A conveyer device, comprising a cdn Y .25 veyer table having a central jraised portion, .and conveyer elements movable over said "raised portion. v

2. A conveyer device comprising a conveyer table provided with a central convey so in surface, conveyer elements movable oversa1d surface, the margins of. said table-being disposed below said surface.

3. A conveyer device comprising a conveyer table having a central conveying sur- 88 face, said table having marginal edge .porv,

.tions disposed in planes below said central surface,-an'd*conveyer elements movable over said surface.

' 4.- A table for a conveyer device, compris flanges.

5. A conveying device comprising a table l having a conveying surface, conveyer" ele- A0 ing a channel-shaped'central conveying ortion, and dependent laterally .exten 'ng a ments movable over said surface, the marginal portions of said table bei'ngbelows'aid central portion, whereby wraipping material can be folded over the ends 0 material over hanging said marginal portions}, 0 6. A conveyer dev1cecomprising a con- .veyer table, conveyer 'elements movable over said table for movement of non-rigid mate- 1 rial overhanging the edges thereof, and means for supporting said overhanging portions of "said material whereby the same may be grasped and moved as desired. v

7. 'A conveyer device comprising' a conveyer table having a raised central conveyer surface, the marginal portions of said'con vey'er table being flanged and disposed below said surface, said surface having openings therein, conveyer elements movable over said surface and passingthrough said openings,

06 and means mounted in said flanges adjacent 

